Burglar-alarm



S. D. HOUPT.

Burglar-Alarm.

No. 225,606. PatentedMar. 16,1880. 25 FN\TJ\' 746112602964. W- ue/liar?SwdQfi MW 94mm W N.PETER8, PHOTO-LXTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D O UNITEDSTATES SAMUEL D. HOUPT,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

BURGLAR-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,606, dated March16, 1880.

Application filed January 23, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. HOUPT, of Findlay, in the county ofHancock and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Burglar-Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention has for its object to produce a combined mechanical andelectric alarm which will be simple in construction and operation andcan be readily attached to a window of ordinary construction in suchmanner that any attempt to raise the sash will explode a detonatingpellet or cap, and at the same time establish an electric circuit tosound an electric alarm, as more fully hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front view of a window, showingmy improved alarm attached thereto. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of aportion of a window, showing'my improve ment in detail. Fig. 3represents a sectional view of my device; Fig. 4, a detached view of thedevice to be attached to the sash of awindow to operate the device, andFig.5 a detached view of a modified form of the device for carrying thedetonating-cap.

My invention consists, essentially, of a hammer pivoted to a plateattached to the sashframe of the window, to which plate is also secureda trigger adapted to engage and hold said hammer in a cooked position,in combination with a cap-carrying device and a detachable pin, thelatter being secured to the sash in such position as to trip the triggerwhen the sash is elevated, and permit a spring to operate the hammer tostrike the cap and explode it and establish a metallic connection withthe poles of an electric circuit and alarm, so as to sound such alarm,as more fully hereinafter specified.

The letter A indicates the sash-frame of an ordinary window, and B themovable sash.

0 indicates a metallic plate, adapted to be secured to the sash-frame inany convenient manner, preferably by means of a screw, D,

as shown in the drawings. Said plate is provided with short standards E,to which are pivoted the short arms F of the lever or hammer G, which isheld in and returned to a normal position by means of a spring, H.

The letter I indicates a trigger pivoted to the plate 0, and extendingthrough a slot, K, in the lever or hammer G, near its upper end. Saidtrigger is provided with a recess, L, on its under side, which isadapted to engage the lower edge of the slot K and hold the lever orhammer in a cocked position.

The letter M indicates a metallic plate, adapted to be secured to thesash-frame below the plate 0 in any convenient manner, in the presentinstance being secured by means of a screw, N. The said plate ispreferably constructed, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with a verticalslot, 0, and a transverse aperture, P, the vertical slot being intendedto hold the device carryin g the fulminate, the said device consistingof a folded strip of metal, a, between the sides of which one of thepellets ordinarily used for toy fire-arms may be inserted. The apertureP is to permit the hammer to strike through upon the fulminate-carrier.

The letter U indicates a pin, which is detachably secured in asocket-plate, V, attached to the movable sash. A series of said platesmay be employed, as shown in Fig. 1, in order that the sash may be setat different heights and held in position by placing the pin U above thetrigger I.

The plates 0 and M are disconnected and insulated from each other, andto one may be connected the positive pole of a wire connected with anelectric battery and alarm, and to the other the negative pole. When thehammer falls upon the cap or pellet carrier it makes a metallicconnection between the two plates, thereby sounding the electric alarmas well as exploding the pellet.

Instead of the pellet above described, an ordinary percussion-cap may beemployed, in which case the plate M is provided with a nipple, W, asshown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Vhen the pin V has tripped the trigger I the lever Gflies outwardly, andthese two parts, together with the pin U, form a lock, which preventsthe window from being farther raised.

The electric alarm, in connection with the mechanical device, isprincipally intended to be used in cities where it is desired to soundan alarm at a distance from the place of operation of the burglars; butit is evident that the mechanical alarm may be employed as well withoutthe electrical connection as with it, and will thus answer as an alarmin isolated places, where it would not be necessary or desirable toemploy the electric alarm.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a burglar-alarm, of a plate carrying a hammer andsuitable operating mechanism and a plate carrying a fulminate, the twoplates being insulated and connected with the wires of an electricalarm, whereby, when the hammer explodes the fulminate, it willestablish an electric circuit, and at the same time sound an electricalarm, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the plate (J, carrying the hammer, and themechanism for operating said hammer, the plate M, slotted as described,and the detachable fuhninate-carrier a, substantially as specified.

3. In combination with the plate O, the hammer G and its spring, thehammer being provided at its upper end with a slot, K, through whichprojects a trigger, I, having a recess, L, adapted to engage one edge ofsaid slot, and the adjustable pins U, adapted to trip said trigger andthrow the same against the upper edge of the slot when the sash israised, whereby the hammer is released and the pin is held permanentlyby the trigger, so as to lock the sash, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregin g I have hereunto set my hand this14th day of January, 1880.

S. D. HOUPT.

Witnesses H. J. ENNIS, Trmo. l\[UNGEN.

